Written Answers Wednesday 12 March 2008

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the last conviction was for underage drinking in Grampian.

Fergus Ewing: The information held centrally in the Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database is an historical snapshot rather than real-time information, and so information on the last conviction recorded is based on the latest year of data held (2005-06). The last person under the age of 18 with charge proved in this data, where the main offence related to underage drinking in Grampian police force area, had a sentence date of 27 February 2006. Offences included are buying excisable liquor or consuming in a bar, or for contraventions of bye-laws prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in designated places.

Alcohol Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there have been for underage drinking in Grampian in the last five years.

Fergus Ewing: The available information from the Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database (for which the latest year available is 2005-06) is given in the following table.

  Persons with a Charge Proved for Underage Drinking1,2 in Grampian Police Force Area, 2001-02 to 2005-06

  

 
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Grampian 
1
-
1
-
1



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Includes persons aged under 18 with a charge proved for buying excisable liquor or consuming in a bar, or for contraventions of bye-laws prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in designated places.

Animal Welfare

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-7395 by Richard Lochhead on 5 December 2007, when regulations in respect of the transportation of puppies pursuant to the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 will be laid and whether they will be subject to affirmative or negative procedure.

Richard Lochhead: Draft regulations which will require puppy and kitten dealers to be licensed by local authorities will be laid in Parliament shortly after the Easter recess. These draft regulations will need to be approved by resolution of the Parliament before they can be made (the affirmative procedure).

Antisocial Behaviour

Keith Brown (Ochil) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to (a) include in its review of antisocial behaviour and (b) legislate on the issue of high hedges as covered in the proposal for a Member’s Bill in the name of Scott Barrie MSP during Session 2 of the Parliament.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is exploring options, including legislative ones, for supporting a means of last resort for resolving disputes about high hedges. This will be done in parallel to the national antisocial behaviour review. In doing so, we will bear in mind consultation on the issue by the previous administration, the provisions in place in England and Wales and Scott Barrie’s bill, which fell at dissolution of the last session of the Parliament.

Birds

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from (a) MSPs, (b) pigeon owners and (c) other interested parties in relation to undertaking a pilot translocation scheme for removing sparrowhawks from the vicinity of pigeon lofts.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has received representations in favour of a sparrowhawk translocation scheme from Alex Neil MSP and from the Scottish Homing Union. We have discussed the scheme with the RSPB, the Scottish Raptor Study Groups and the Scottish Society for the Protection of Animals. These three groups have expressed their opposition to the scheme.

Birds

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering introducing a pilot translocation scheme to remove sparrowhawks from the vicinity of pigeon lofts and, if so, who will carry out the work, whether they will be approved to ring birds and whether live birds will be used in order to attract the sparrowhawks.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is agreeable in principle to the issue of licences for a limited translocation research project. The purpose of the project is to assess whether trapping and relocation of sparrowhawks is a satisfactory solution to the problem of sparrowhawk predation on racing pigeons. The work will be carried out by an independent contractor. The contractor will be approved to fit rings to the relocated sparrowhawks. A Larsen trap will be used to catch the sparrowhawks. Live pigeons will be used to attract the sparrowhawks. The pigeons are not put at risk using this method, and conditions to protect their welfare and that of any trapped sparrowhawk are specified in the Project Protocol.

Birds

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has received from Scottish Natural Heritage and other statutory advisers on the risks and benefits of undertaking a pilot translocation scheme to remove sparrowhawks from the vicinity of pigeon lofts and whether it will publish any such advice.

Michael Russell: Scottish Natural Heritage have been involved in discussions about this research project and their comments are reflected in the Project Protocol. The Project Protocol has been made available to RSPB and the Raptor Study Groups and will be available on the Scottish Government website.

Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what activities fit the definition of sport as that which "involves physical skill and exertion", as defined in the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.

Fergus Ewing: It is a matter for the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, as an independent regulator, to decide which activities meet the definition of sport as defined in the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act.

Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether activities such as bowling and judo promote the "advancement of public participation" in determining whether they qualify as charitable sports under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.

Fergus Ewing: Decisions as to whether a body passes the charity test and is eligible for charitable status are a matter for the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, as an independent regulator.

Children and Young People

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-8487 by Fiona Hyslop on 23 January 2008, what total amount was allocated to the National Fostering and Kinship Care Strategy in each year from 2003 to 2007 and what percentage of the budget for children and young people this represented, excluding spending that would have been subsumed into other budgets such as community health.

Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8487 on 23 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The Scottish Government’s consolidated resource accounts are laid before Parliament annually and detail expenditure on the government’s stated aims for each financial year, including spend on children and young people. In the period 2003-07 there was no "children and young people" budget line, rather expenditure on these groups ranged across the government’s budgets.

Children and Young People

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-8483 by Fiona Hyslop on 23 January 2008, what total amount was allocated to the Educational Attainment of Looked After Children scheme in each year from 2003 and 2007 and what percentage of the budget for children and young people this represented, excluding spending that would have been subsumed into other budgets such as community health.

Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8483 on 23 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The Scottish Government’s consolidated resource accounts are laid before Parliament annually and detail expenditure on the government’s stated aims for each financial year, including spend on children and young people. In the period 2003-07 there was no "children and young people" budget line, rather expenditure on these groups ranged across the government’s budgets.

Children and Young People

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-8491 by Fiona Hyslop on 18 January 2008, what total amount was allocated for additional support for learning in each year from 2003 to 2007 and what percentage of the budget for children and young people this represented, excluding spending that would have been subsumed into other budgets such as community health.

Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8491 on 18 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The Scottish Government’s consolidated resource accounts are laid before Parliament annually and detail expenditure on the government’s stated aims for each financial year, including spend on children and young people. In the period 2003-07 there was no "children and young people" budget line, rather expenditure on these groups ranged across the government’s budgets.

Children and Young People

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-8490 by Adam Ingram on 25 January 2008, what total amount was allocated for adoption services in each year from 2003 to 2007 and what percentage of the budget for children and young people this represented, excluding spending that would have been subsumed into other budgets such as community health.

Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8490 on 25 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The Scottish Government’s consolidated resource accounts are laid before Parliament annually and detail expenditure on the government’s stated aims for each financial year, including spend on children and young people. In the period 2003-07 there was no "children and young people" budget line, rather expenditure on these groups ranged across the government’s budgets.

Communities Scotland

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9824 by Stewart Maxwell on 3 March 2008, how much of the £1.7 million to be saved by abolishing Communities Scotland will be (a) staffing, (b) administrative and (c) capital costs.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9824 by Stewart Maxwell on 3 March 2008, how much of the £1.7 million to be saved by abolishing Communities Scotland will be made (a) in the first year and (b) year-on-year over the next three years.

Stewart Maxwell: We have identified efficiency savings of £1.7 million which arise from the abolition of Communities Scotland. The new and more streamlined structures from 1 April 2008 present savings under a range of headings including staff and administration costs, but we have yet to decide their final distribution.

Concessionary Travel

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners hold free bus passes in (a) Aberdeen, (b) Aberdeenshire and (c) Angus.

Stewart Stevenson: As of 4 February 2008, the number of people in possession of a National Entitlement Card to access Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People on the grounds of being 60 years or over is as follows.

  Aberdeen City Council area – 49,590

  Aberdeenshire Council area – 38,062

  Angus Council area – 22,268.

Education

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many state-funded faith schools there are in Scotland.

Maureen Watt: This information is published annually in Pupils in Scotland , and is available on the government website. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/02/25145216/24 .

  In 2007 there were 392 state-funded denominational schools in Scotland.

Education

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many adults participate in adult literacy programmes.

Fiona Hyslop: Between 2001 when the adult literacy and numeracy strategy was launched and 31 March 2007, 180,000 new adult learners have been helped to improve their low skills

  Funding for literacy and numeracy is routed through grant aided expenditure to local authorities and under the concordat between Scottish Government and local government decisions on allocation of funding are for local government based on assessment of local need.

Education

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to support adult literacy.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is the principal funder of the adult literacies strategy and routes this funding through the 32 local authorities. The funding is included within the grant aided expenditure (GAE).

  Learning connections provide guidance and development support to the 32 adult literacy and numeracy (ALN) partnerships and national partners. It also works with national organisations to move forward the training, practice development and research agendas for adult literacies. In conjunction with learndirect scotland, the national awareness raising campaign, the Big Plus, has been developed.

  Funding for ALN is routed through GAE and under the concordat decisions on allocation of funding are for the local authorities.

Education

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will continue to support children learning English as a second language in schools.

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to provide specific support to local authorities in response to challenges resulting from language diversity in schools.

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure adequate provision of specialist teachers in response to challenges resulting from language diversity in schools.

Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that pupils for whom English is an additional language continue to receive the same levels of education and support from local authorities as any other child. Under our historic agreement with local government we have provided £34.9 billion over the next three years, an increase of 13.1% across the period and reduced ring fencing to better enable local authorities to respond to local needs and priorities.

Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers intend to meet the Crown Estate following the publication of East Coast Transmission Network: Technical Feasibility Study and, if so, when.

Jim Mather: Scottish ministers expect to meet with The Crown Estate in the near future.

  Scottish Government officials met with The Crown Estate in December 2007 to discuss a range of issues, including their East Coast Transmission Network study. We will remain in close contact with The Crown Estate on all offshore renewables issues.

Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will discuss East Coast Transmission Network: Technical Feasibility Study , when it next meets Ofgem.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is involved in discussions with Ofgem on a number of issues, including the urgent need to secure fairer transmission charging and access to the grid in order to encourage renewables development in Scotland.

  We are also in contact with Ofgem and BERR about the longer term role of sub-sea transmission in harnessing the potential of offshore renewables and achieving economic benefits.

Enterprise

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much finance it has contributed to small business start-up in the last two years, broken down by industry sector.

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses apply for start-up funding and how many have received funding in the last two years.

Jim Mather: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I will ask both chief executives to write to you in this regard.

Enterprise

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it has contributed to business growth and development in the last two years, broken down by industry sector.

Jim Mather: In the last two calendar years (2006 and 2007), the Scottish Government paid out over £87 million to businesses through its Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) grant scheme. The following table shows this broken down by industry type using the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes.

  RSA Grant Payments Made by Industry Type, from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2007

  

Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 1992
Amount Paid


Class/Description


01-05
Agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing
£0


10-14
Mining & Quarrying
£0


15-37
Manufacturing:
 


15-16
Food, beverages & tobacco
£8,980,500


17-19
Textiles, clothing, leather & footwear
£686,000


20-22
Wood, paper, printing & publishing
£7,319,000


23-25
Coke, petroleum, nuclear fuels, chemicals, man-made fibres, rubber & plastic
£5,873,000


26
Non-metallic mineral products
£1,980,000


27-28
Metals & fabricated metal products
£4,361,000


29
Machinery & equipment
£5,343,000


30-33
Electrical & optical equipment
£8,487,000


34-35
Transport equipment
£7,025,000


36-37
Other manufacturing
£2,259,000


40-41
Electricity, gas & water supply
£50,000


45
Construction
£692,000


50-52
Wholesale & retail trade, repairs
£4,162,000


55
Hotels & restaurants
£0


60-64
Transport, storage & communication
£8,111,969


65-67
Financial intermediation
£7,049,000


70-74
Real estate, renting & business activities
£14,657,000


75-99
Other Services
£645,000


Total
 
£87,680,469



  During the same period, payments on innovation grants which include SMART: SCOTLAND, SPUR and SCORE, totalled over £13 million. The following table shows this broken down by industry sector.

  Innovation Grants Payments Made by Industry Sector from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2007

  

Industry Sector
Amount Paid


Manufacturing Technology
£674,758


Materials Technology
£401,441


Information Technology
£4,125,031


Biotechnology
£2,123,921


Environmental Technology
£976,051


Communications
£1,473,108


Instrumentation and Control
£418,052


Heat and Mass Transfer
£72,786


New Testing Methods
£286,811


Separation Techniques
£181,353


Tribology, wear and corrosion
£31,100


Medical Technology
£1,544,639


Other
£714,531


Total
£13,023,582



  In addition, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise support business growth and development. As this is an operation matter for both organisations I will ask both chief executives to write to you in this regard.

Enterprise

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies have applied for business growth and development funding and how many have received funding in the last two years.

Jim Mather: In the last two calendar years (2006 and 2007), there were 445 applications for Regional Selective Assistance (RSA). In the same period, 344 companies received payment of RSA grant totalling over £87 million.

  During the same period, 257 applications for innovation grants were received. These included applications for SMART: SCOTLAND, SCORE and SPUR. 224 businesses received funding over the same period with payments totalling over £13 million.

  In addition, businesses can apply to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise for funding support for growth and development. As this is an operational matter for both organisations I will ask both chief executives to write to you in this regard.

European Union

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any ministers have attended any meetings in Europe to discuss matters related to health since May 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: There have been no ministerial meetings in Europe since May 2007 to discuss health matters. However, we have good links with the Commission, and I will attend future Council meetings where there is a specific Scottish policy interest in the decisions to be taken.

European Union

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any ministers have attended any meetings in Europe to discuss matters related to transport since May 2007.

Linda Fabiani: No minister has yet attended meetings in Europe related to transport, but the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change intends to visit Brussels in the near future.

European Union

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any ministers have attended any meetings in Europe to discuss matters related to skills training since May 2007.

Linda Fabiani: Although no minister has so far attended a meeting in Brussels to discuss such matters, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning discussed a number of issues related to skills, including the importance of lifelong learning to economic growth and the European Qualifications Framework, with Commissioner Figel’ during his visit to Edinburgh on 28 June 2007.

European Union

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any ministers have attended any meetings in Europe to discuss matters related to tourism or culture since May 2007.

Linda Fabiani: I undertook a number of engagements related to culture during my visit to Brussels on 29 January 2008. I held meetings with Members of the European Parliament and with representatives of the British Council; hosted a seminar on the contribution of culture to the Lisbon Agenda for jobs and growth; opened an exhibition of photographs of Scottish entrepreneurs; introduced a talk given by Iain Banks as part of the Scottish Government EU Office’s Scottish Writers Series, and hosted a Burns supper for prominent members of the Scottish and Slovenian communities in Brussels.

Health

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were treated for myocardial infarction in each accident and emergency department in Lanarkshire in 2006-07.

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what modelling it has carried out in relation to the numbers of patients who will be treated by the planned percutaneous coronary intervention unit at Hairmyres Hospital.

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients it anticipates will be treated annually by the planned percutaneous coronary intervention unit at Hairmyres Hospital.

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria will be for referral to the planned percutaneous coronary intervention unit at Hairmyres Hospital.

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who will be responsible for deciding whether a patient should be sent to their local accident and emergency department or to the planned percutaneous coronary intervention unit at Hairmyres Hospital.

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of patients who were treated for myocardial infarction in each accident and emergency department in Lanarkshire in 2006-07 would have been suitable for referral to the planned percutaneous coronary intervention unit at Hairmyres Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: These are matters for NHS Lanarkshire and neighbouring NHS boards because specialist services are being planned and developed on a regional basis.

  I have given in principle approval for further work to be carried out on providing specialist primary angioplasty services at Hairmyres. This is consistent with the service model provided in Glasgow where patients requiring this treatment go the Golden Jubilee Hospital and not the accident and emergency units at the Southern General Hospital or the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Robust evidence shows that for a minority of patients who suffer a heart attack as a consequence of a blocked coronary artery, this is the most appropriate treatment for them and will deliver the best outcomes.

  For this group of patients, the evidence is also clear that the sooner the intervention is carried out, the better the clinical result. Patients in North Lanarkshire who suffer a heart attack of this kind do not, at present, have immediate access to these specialist services. These proposals will provide fast access to such a service at Hairmyres Hospital to patients from all over Lanarkshire, and also Ayrshire. These proposals will affect those patients who require primary angioplasty only – the majority of heart attack victims will continue to be treated locally.

Higher Education

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that all universities provide language teaching in every EU member state language.

Fiona Hyslop: The decision to offer courses in any subject is a decision for individual universities to make based on demand for and perceived sustainability of the course.

  We will continue to work with the Scottish Funding Council to ensure that its higher education funding methodology allows individual, autonomous higher education institutions to respond effectively to any change in demand for provision.

Higher Education

Keith Brown (Ochil) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what total amounts were spent through the discretionary fund for higher education students, and its predecessor budgets, in each financial year since 1999-2000.

Fiona Hyslop: The total amounts spent through the higher education discretionary funds for each financial year since 1999-2000 are highlighted as follows:

  

Financial Year
Amount Spent (£ Million)


1999-2000
14.0


2000-01
14.0


2001-02
11.4


2002-03
11.4


2003-04
13.4


2004-05
13.6


2005-06
13.0


2006-07
13.5



  Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).

  Note: The years 1999-2000 and 2000-01 include monies paid to further education students studying courses of higher education at further education colleges. It has not been possible to disaggregate these sums further which is why a combined figure is given.

Housing

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, if the Association of British Insurers refuses to insure homes which are to be built on land designated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency as being areas at high risk of flooding, whether it will underwrite all subsequent purchasers of these homes and businesses.

Stewart Stevenson: No. Decisions taken by the property insurance industry are a commercial matter for that industry and it would be inappropriate for the Scottish Government to underwrite any loss that may arise as a result of those decisions.

Housing

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many homes were built by (a) housing associations and (b) the private sector in the Lothians parliamentary region in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Stewart Maxwell: Information on new house building is published on the Scottish Government website at:

  (a) http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/NewBuildHA,

  (b) http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/NewBuildPrivate.

  The last two tables in the workbooks show the latest available completions data for the period requested by financial and calendar years, and local authority area. Data are not currently available by parliamentary region, and it is intended to make these data available through the Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics website later this year.

Housing

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications for the building of affordable housing in the Lothians were made by (a) housing associations and (b) the private sector in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area

Stewart Maxwell: The information requested is not held centrally. However, the Scottish Government has been putting in place monitoring arrangements to assess both the number of planning applications for affordable housing that received planning consent and the amount of affordable housing contained within them. The official statistics collected from planning authorities as a result of this monitoring will be published on the 29 April 2008. The reporting period covered is for the 2005 to 2007 financial years.

Housing

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications for the building of affordable housing in the Lothians by (a) housing associations and (b) the private sector were rejected in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Stewart Maxwell: Information on the number of applications for affordable housing that were refused planning consent is not held centrally.

Information Technology

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many laptops have been issued to staff in its departments since May 2007.

John Swinney: A total of 151 laptops have been issued to staff in the Scottish Government since May 2007.

Information Technology

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many laptops have been issued to staff in its agencies since May 2007.

John Swinney: A total of 105 laptops have been issued to staff in agencies using the Scottish Government IT network since May 2007.

Inter-Governmental Links

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which UK Government ministers it invited to the 2008 Convention of the Highlands and Islands in Shetland.

John Swinney: No UK Government minister was invited to the Convention of the Highlands and Islands in Shetland in March 2008.

  Scottish ministers have reviewed the list of attendees and decided that the membership of the convention will in future consist of Scottish ministers and relevant invited public sector organisations, together with co-opted experts as required.

Inter-Governmental Links

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which UK Government ministers were invited to Highlands and Islands conventions in each of the last three years, also showing which ministers attended.

John Swinney: The attendance by UK ministers at meetings of the Highlands and Islands convention in each of the last three years was as follows:

  In March 2005 Anne McGuire, MP, Permanent Under Secretary of State for Scotland attended the Convention of the Highlands and Islands (COHI) in Shetland.

  In November 2005 David Cairns, MP, attended as Permanent Under Secretary of State for Scotland in Inveraray.

  In April 2006 David Cairns, MP, Permanent Under Secretary of State for Scotland attended the COHI in Orkney.

  There was no representation from the Scotland Office in October 2006 in Forres.

  In March 2007, David Cairns, MP, attended as Permanent Under Secretary of State for Scotland in Stornoway.

  There was no representation from the Scotland Office in October 2007 in Lochaber.

Inter-Governmental Links

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on inviting UK Government ministers to future Highlands and Islands conventions.

John Swinney: The role of the convention is to strengthen the co-ordination between member organisations and the Scottish Government and to work together to deliver the Scottish Government’s strategic objectives. Scottish ministers, therefore have decided that they will not extend an invitation to UK ministers to attend future conventions unless the agenda particularly requires it.

  However, meetings are open to the public in the capacity of observers.

International Relations

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments by the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture on 20 February 2008 ( Official Report c. 6092), what the "stronger focus" will be within each of the four strands of the co-operation agreement with Malawi.

Linda Fabiani: During my recent visit to Malawi I agreed with my ministerial colleagues there that we need to focus our future funding within the priorities of the co-operation agreement. Officials in both countries will continue to work to identify these priorities in each of the co-operation areas.

  Specific areas of focus for funding will be clarified and stated as funding criteria when a funding round is opened.

Light Pollution

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce legislative controls on light pollution.

Michael Russell: Yes. We have included proposals to add light pollution to the statutory nuisance provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in the Public Health etc (Scotland) Bill, which is currently being considered by the Parliament.

  The light controls proposed refer to all fixed light emitters, other than lighthouses.

Livestock

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make an order for bluetongue vaccine now to ensure that a bank is available as soon as possible after the product comes on the market.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is committed to working with industry to protect Scotland from bluetongue and minimise its impact should it occur. As part of this my officials are in close liaison with stakeholders to consider how vaccination would be best used in Scotland and to ensure that vaccine can be obtained.

Livestock

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that Scotland should implement a compulsory vaccination scheme against bluetongue and, if so, when such a vaccination programme should take place.

Richard Lochhead: The veterinary advice is that any mass vaccination programme would be best delivered during the winter when we are in a vector free period. Discussions are on-going with stakeholders as to how a vaccination programme would be most effectively delivered, including whether it should be compulsory or voluntary.

Local Government Finance

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is a matter for the discretion of a council alone how much it holds in financial reserves, having considered any guidance or advice from the Accounts Commission for Scotland.

John Swinney: The focus by the Accounts Commission for Scotland in recent years on reserves is to ensure that councils set out their policies in relation to reserves and understand the reasons why they are holding reserves. How much councils should hold in financial reserves is considered by the commission to be a local decision. Individual councils decide the type and level of reserves to hold as part of their overall approach to sustainable financial management.

Ministerial Travel

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many trips by (a) official ministerial car, (b) private hire car, (c) taxi and (d) train the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth took from May 2007 to January 2008.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many trips by (a) official ministerial car, (b) private hire car, (c) taxi and (d) train the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth took from October 2007 to January 2008.

John Swinney: The information requested is listed as follows.

  

Official Ministerial Car
512


Private Hire Car
15


Taxi 
6


Rail
2 (S)

NHS Finance

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the capital allocations have been to NHS Tayside in each year from 2004-05 to 2008-09, expressed also at constant prices.

Nicola Sturgeon: The following table shows the formula capital allocations NHS Tayside received in each year from 2004-05 to 2008-09, expressed also at constant prices:

  

Year
Formula allocation (£ Million)
Constant Prices (£ Million)


2004-05
15.445
15.445


2005-06
16.906
16.556


2006-07
20.277
19.304


2007-08
24.348
22.450


2008-09
24.650
22.120



  Constant Prices are shown at 2004-05 values.

Planning

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the bird impact predictions by Scottish Natural Heritage, or other advisers to the Scottish Government, for the Lewis wind farm application, set out quantitatively by bird species and assessed against the threshold that they apply for damage to the integrity of the Special Protection Areas, as required by law.

Michael Russell: Under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 , Scottish ministers, as the competent authority in this case, are required to carry out an appropriate assessment of any plan or project which they consider may have a likely significant effect on a European site. In carrying out the appropriate assessments for the Lewis wind farm application, Scottish ministers have had regard to information supplied by Scottish Natural Heritage and the developer and the views of the Chief Ecological Advisor for the Scottish Government. In line with the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 , it is our intention to publish environmental information relating to the Lewis wind farm proposal once the application is determined.

Post Offices

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the benefits of the sub-post office network in local areas where there are high concentrations of international visitors and students.

John Swinney: Post Office locations are a matter for Post Office Ltd. The Royal Mail Group advise that every post office is treated equally regardless of its location.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funds it or the Scottish Prison Service has awarded to the Association of Prison Visitors for (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The budget allocated to the Association of Visiting Committees for 2008-09 is provisionally set at £30,400. The budgets for 2009-10 and 2010-11 have not yet been agreed.

Public Private Partnerships

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether PFI is still an option for public building contracts.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government is committed to introducing an alternative funding mechanism to the traditional costly "standard form" of PFI, in the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT). We have already stated that PPP could continue as one of several delivery options open to public sector bodies whilst the SFT is being developed. Where PPP is to be used, the preferred option is for procuring bodies to follow the non-profit distributing (NPD) model. This provides for capped equity returns thus ending the very high gains seen in the "standard PFI" model via the secondary market. The NPD model was piloted successfully in the Scottish schools projects and is now being developed in the health and transport sectors.

Public Private Partnerships

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the equity invested by consortia in PFI/PPP schemes, also showing the projected return on each consortium’s investment by the end of the life of each contract.

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost of the equity invested by consortia in PFI/PPP schemes has been and what the total return on such investments is projected to be by the end of the life of the contracts.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not hold a breakdown of the equity invested by consortia for all individual "standard PFI" projects. However, the normal gearing in such contracts involves about 90% senior debt, 8 to 9% junior debt, and 1 to 2% uncapped equity. The uncapped equity element does not exist in the non-profit distributing model which is now preferred in Scotland.

  Once a contract becomes operational, companies involved in the PFI consortia may alter their equity stakes, and be replaced by other equity partners. Such changes do not affect the contracted service and price agreed between the consortia and the respective public sector bodies.

  The Scottish Government does not hold comprehensive information on the actual or projected return on each consortium’s investment. Returns reflect the fluctuating market norms in different sectors at the time of procurement, and correspond to the risks taken by investors in each project.

Public Private Partnerships

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the senior debt borrowed by consortia in PFI/PPP schemes, also showing the projected repayment cost of each such debt over the life of each contract.

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost of senior debt borrowed by consortia in PFI/PPP schemes has been and what the total repayment cost of such debt is projected to be by the end of the life of the contracts.

John Swinney: This information is not held centrally. It is assessed by the relevant procuring public body, with professional advice as to cost and value for money, before each PFI/PPP contract is awarded.

Public Private Partnerships

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost of subordinate debt borrowed by consortia in PFI/PPP schemes has been and what the total repayment cost of such debt is projected to be by the end of the life of the contracts.

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the subordinate debt borrowed by consortia in PFI/PPP schemes, also showing the projected repayment cost of each such debt over the life of each contract.

John Swinney: This information is not held centrally. It is assessed by the relevant procuring public body, with professional advice as to cost and value for money, before each PFI/PPP contract is awarded.

Public Private Partnerships

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates will be paid to HM Treasury in VAT and Corporation Tax by consortia involved in PFI/PPP projects over the life of the contracts.

John Swinney: The amount of VAT and Corporation Tax to be paid by consortia involved in PFI/PPP projects over the life of the contracts is a matter for the companies involved and HM Revenue & Customs.

Public Private Partnerships

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any PFI/PPP consortia responsible for projects in Scotland have transferred ownership of the projects to companies based outside the United Kingdom.

John Swinney: The information requested is not held centrally.

Public Private Partnerships

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive where the registered offices are based for all PFI/PPP consortia for projects commissioned by (a) the Scottish Government, (b) local authorities and (c) NHS boards.

John Swinney: This information is not held centrally.

Public Private Partnerships

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much tax has been paid by PFI/PPP consortia responsible for projects in Scotland in each year since 1999.

John Swinney: The amount of tax paid by PPP consortia is a matter for them and HM Revenues and Customs.

Public Transport

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority received from the Bus Route Development Grant in each year of the 2004 spending review.

Stewart Stevenson: The following table gives details of the Bus Route Development Grant funding allocations in the 2004 spending review period. The final funding allocations were made in March 2007.

  

Local Transport Authority
Funding Allocated in 2005-06 (£)
Funding Allocated in 2006-07 (£)


Aberdeen City
1,031,000
 


Aberdeenshire
590,000
1,889,000


Angus
394,393
 


Argyll and Bute
154,000
103,000


City of Edinburgh
2,490,000
748,722


Dumfries and Galloway
535,000
 


Dundee City
1,771,000
 


East Lothian
116,000
 


Falkirk
480,000
 


Fife
1,915,000
590,000


Highland
943,000
 


HITRANS
 
2,080,304


Midlothian
533,000
2,184,000


Moray
515,000
 


Orkney Islands
162,000
 


Perth and Kinross
821,000
 


Scottish Borders
1,182,000
 


Shetland Islands
148,000
 


Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
1,032,000
1,061,000


West Lothian
971,000
2,600,000

Public Transport

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact not increasing the Bus Service Operators Grant would have on bus fares in (a) Aberdeen, (b) Aberdeenshire and (c) Angus.

Stewart Stevenson: Ultimately, the level of fares and the provision of bus services is a matter for individual bus operators who use their own commercial judgement in these matters. The Scottish Government currently provides substantial funds to the bus industry of around £260 million a year. This covers Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), concessionary fares, local authority supported services and Bus Route Development Grant. Following the budget statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth on 6 February 2008, I can confirm that it is our intention that the budget for BSOG will be around £61 million in 2008-09.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of East Coast Transmission Network: Technical Feasibility Study .

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to take forward planning for an east coast interconnector following the publication of the East Coast Transmission Network: Technical Feasibility Study .

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it expects the development of an east coast interconnector, based on the model proposed in East Coast Transmission Network: Technical Feasibility Study , to have on unlocking Scotland’s renewables potential.

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it expects the development of an east coast interconnector, based on the model proposed in East Coast Transmission Network: Technical Feasibility Study , to have on the economy.

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it expects the development of an east coast interconnector, based on the model proposed in East Coast Transmission Network: Technical Feasibility Study , to have on the Highlands and Islands economy.

Jim Mather: We read the Crown Estate report with interest and believe it provides a useful contribution to our discussions with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and other stakeholders on future grid development.

  The Scottish Government recognises that further grid reinforcements will be necessary if we are to exploit Scotland’s potential for renewable energy, particularly in the Highlands and Islands, where much of the resource lies. This could bring significant economic benefits to the region and the whole of Scotland.

  The Scottish Government is also working with BERR on a strategic environmental assessment for offshore wind. This will include the deep waters of Scotland’s renewable energy zone where there is significant potential for development.

Renewable Energy

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of scientific evidence relating to the importance of peatland as a carbon store, it will revise its policy with regard to the siting of wind farms in peatland areas.

Jim Mather: Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 6 – Renewable Energy contains policy on designing wind farms to minimise soil disturbance, including peat. There are no plans to revise the policy.

Schools

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pupils attend state-funded faith schools.

Maureen Watt: This information is published annually in Pupils in Scotland , and is available on the government website. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/02/25145216/24 .

  In 2007, 119,935 pupils attended state-funded denominational schools in Scotland.

Schools

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9305 by Maureen Watt on 29 February 2008, how many of these contracts were not already under negotiation prior to 4 May 2007.

Maureen Watt: All seven contracts were under negotiation prior to 4 May 2007.

Scottish Government Travel

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times and on what dates any member of the Scottish Government has stayed overnight in the Marcliffe of Pitfodels Hotel in Aberdeen since May 2007, showing whether a (a) full or (b) discounted price was paid for each stay.

John Swinney: No Cabinet Secretary or Minister of the Scottish Government has stayed overnight in the Marcliffe of Pitfodels Hotel in Aberdeen since May 2007.

Student Finance

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students will lose bursary income as a result of changes to student support in 2008-09.

Fiona Hyslop: Under the previous Scottish Executive, the information we would need to be able to calculate how many students will lose bursary income as a result of the changes to student support in 2008-09 was not collected.

  In spite of this, the Scottish Government did attempt to model the cost involved in estimating how many students in Scotland will see a reduction in the grant or bursary or student support that they currently receive due to the means testing arrangements. However, because the information referred to above is not available, it has not been possible to produce accurate forecasts.

  Money will be available to students who are in genuine financial hardship through the discretionary funds we provide to colleges and universities.

Student Finance

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students will lose student loan income as a result of the changes to means-testing for student support.

Fiona Hyslop: Under the previous Scottish Executive, the information we would need to be able to calculate how many students will lose student loan income as a result of the changes to means-testing for student support in 2008-09 was not collected.

  In spite of this, the Scottish Government did attempt to model the cost involved in estimating how many students in Scotland will see a reduction in the grant or bursary or student support that they currently receive due to the means testing arrangements. However, because the information referred to above is not available, it has not been possible to produce accurate forecasts.

  Money will be available to students who are in genuine financial hardship through the discretionary funds we provide to colleges and universities.

Student Finance

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students will lose bursary income as a result of the changes to means-testing for student support.

Fiona Hyslop: Under the previous Scottish Executive, the information we would need to be able to calculate how many students will lose bursary income as a result of the changes to means-testing for student support in 2008-09 was not collected.

  In spite of this, the Scottish Government did attempt to model the cost involved in estimating how many students in Scotland will see a reduction in the grant or bursary or student support that they currently receive due to the means testing arrangements. However, because the information referred to above is not available, it has not been possible to produce accurate forecasts.

  Money will be available to students who are in genuine financial hardship through the discretionary funds we provide to colleges and universities.

Teachers

Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to balance the number of PE teachers in training with the permanent vacancies available at the end of their probationary years.

Maureen Watt: The form of contract under which teachers are employed are matters for local authorities as employers. The Scottish Government carries out an annual teacher workforce planning exercise to estimate the number of new teachers required in the years ahead at national level irrespective of the type of contract under which they are employed.

Teachers

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-8485 by Adam Ingram on 29 January 2008, what total amount was allocated to the Teacher Induction Scheme in each year from 2003 to 2007 and what percentage of the budget for children and young people this represented, excluding spending that would have been subsumed into other budgets such as community health.

Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8485 on 29 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The Scottish Government’s consolidated resource accounts are laid before Parliament annually and detail expenditure on the government’s stated aims for each financial year, including spend on children and young people. In the period 2003-07 there was no "children and young people" budget line, rather expenditure on these groups ranged across the government’s budgets.

Waste Management

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish anaerobic digestion plants as a way to reduce methane emissions, treat organic waste and contribute towards Scotland’s renewable energy targets.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is keen to encourage the development of anaerobic digestion projects in Scotland.

  The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) will run a capital grant scheme in Scotland worth £6 million over the next three years for infrastructure to recycle organic waste, including anaerobic digestion plants. In addition, WRAP provides support to companies involved in recycling and composting (including companies planning to install anaerobic digestion plants) through their business support service. More information on WRAP’s work can be found at:

  http://www.wrap.org.uk/nations_and_english_regions/scotland/index.html.

  We also intend to allocate over £100 million from our three-year £150 million zero waste fund to support recycling and composting infrastructure and other infrastructure to divert waste from landfill, including anaerobic digestion plants. We are establishing a working group with COSLA to discuss how best to use these resources.

  For renewable energy, support is available in the form of renewables obligation certificates for the biomass fraction of electricity output from energy from waste plants using anaerobic digestion. In addition, the new Scotland rural development programme will make available options that will provide support towards the purchase and installation of equipment with small scale renewable energy capacity, which will include anaerobic digestion.

Water Charges

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to alleviate the financial impact on older people and those on low incomes of increases in water and sewerage charges.

Stewart Stevenson: All low income households, including low income pensioner households, already receive reductions in their water services charges.

  The focus of the Scottish Government’s general policy is the achievement by Scottish Water of substantial efficiency savings to keep charges down for all water customers. As a result water services bills are set to rise by less than inflation for the third consecutive year.